ABNY LAUNCHES COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT NEW YORK CITY FAN ENGAGEMENT DURING FIFA WORLD CUP 2026™ AS PART OF “WORLD CUP FOR ALL” INITIATIVE
$250,000 Competitive Grant Program Will Support Community-Centered Fan Engagement and Youth Programming During Tournament – Applications are Here
Initiative Will Also Engage and Mobilize ABNY’s Network of 250 Corporate, Nonprofit, Labor, and Civic Leaders
Editor’s note: The FIFA Club World Cup hosted its events last year at MetLife Stadium in Rutherford. This year, New Yorkers will get to experience the World Cup right in the City.
Grant Information Session
Interested applicants are invited to attend a virtual information session on Thursday, February 26, 9:30a – 10:30a. Please click here to register.
NEW YORK, NY (February 12, 2026) – The Association for a Better New York (ABNY) today announced “World Cup for All,” a new initiative in collaboration with the FIFA World Cup 2026 New York/New Jersey Host Committee, to organize and mobilize New York City’s civic community and ensure that New Yorkers across the five boroughs can experience the excitement and local benefits of hosting the World Cup.
The ABNY Foundation launched the World Cup Community Grant Program, a $250,000 fund to award competitive grants between $5,000 and $15,000 to New York City community-based nonprofit organizations for community fan engagement activations and youth recreation programming tied to the World Cup. Priority consideration will be given to project applications that center historically underserved communities and neighborhoods, projects with a robust community outreach and engagement strategy to residents, and projects that are free and open to the public. Eligible organizations are encouraged to apply online by March 13, 2026. Applications and grant guidelines are provided in English, Spanish, and Chinese.
ABNY is also organizing ABNY Members who are leading efforts or interested in engaging with the World Cup. ABNY convened a working group with forty civic leaders specializing in open space, infrastructure, tourism, local economic development, and transportation for monthly meetings from January until the tournament begins this June, to create a forum for connectivity and information-sharing with tournament organizers and government agencies. ABNY is also organizing largescale events for the broader civic community, including an ABNYTalks panel on February 12, 2026, to share updates on the planning effort and how to get involved.
“The world’s biggest event is finally returning to the world’s biggest stage, and ABNY is doing all we can to ensure that the joy of the World Cup will be felt in every neighborhood,” said Steven Rubenstein, Board Chair for the Association for a Better New York. “Hosting the World Cup is an incredible economic opportunity, and we believe it is our responsibility to drive excitement and activity across the city, not just in the stands. We’re proud to support community groups as they engage fans locally and give the world a New York welcome.”
“As New York prepares to welcome the world this summer, ABNY is launching World Cup for All to ensure both the excitement and the economic benefits of the World Cup are experienced in every corner of the city,” said Emma Pfohman, CEO of the Association for a Better New York. “We are mobilizing and strengthening New York City’s civic fabric of business, nonprofit, and labor leaders interested in participating in the tournament, and today, the ABNY Foundation is launching a community grant program to help community organizations create welcoming spaces for fans and accessible youth programming inspired by the games, so no matter where you live, you can be part of this historic moment.”
“ABNY’s leadership reflects exactly the kind of civic partnership required to deliver a World Cup that reaches every corner of New York City,” said Alex Lasry, CEO of the NYNJ Host Committee. “The World Cup is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the city, and its impact must extend far beyond the stadium. This grant program reinforces our shared commitment to inclusive fan engagement and ensuring the benefits of hosting the World Cup are felt across all five boroughs.”
“The 2026 World Cup is a once-in-a-generation moment for New York City, and our responsibility is to make sure it shows up in neighborhoods across all five boroughs,” said Maya Handa, NYC World Cup Czar. World Cup for All reflects an exciting commitment to community-led programming that invites New Yorkers, especially young people, to be part of how this city welcomes the world.”
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for New York City to showcase our five boroughs to the world — and just as importantly, to ensure that New Yorkers themselves are part of the celebration,” said Julie Coker, President and CEO of NYC Tourism + Conventions. “With more than 1.2 million visitors expected to travel to the region during the six-week tournament, the global spotlight will be firmly on New York. ABNY’s ‘World Cup for All’ initiative reflects the very best of our city: collaboration, equity and community pride. By supporting grassroots fan engagement and youth programming, this grant program helps extend the excitement and economic impact of the World Cup to every neighborhood, creating lasting benefits well beyond the final match.”
From June to mid-July 2026, the New York City region will host eight matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, including the Final match on July 19, 2026. The region is expected to welcome more than one million visitors from around the world and generate more than $3 billion in economic impact. ABNY’s World Cup for All initiative seeks to ensure that the economic benefits of the tournament reach local commercial corridors and neighborhoods across New York City’s five boroughs.
About The Association for a Better New York
For more than 50 years, ABNY has worked as a catalyst to bring business, political, labor, and nonprofit leaders together to address problems challenging the economic and social well-being of the city. Under the leadership of Chairman Steven Rubenstein and CEO Emma Pfohman, the organization continues to carry out its mission by providing forums and programs that work to build a better New York for all.
Banner Image: ABNY panel. Image Credit – ABNY
